Tom Hardy's final CBeebies bedtime story is going to break your heart

As Axl Rose once sang while marrying his bride, who then died after the most epic guitar solo by a small church on a mountaintop of all time: ‘nothing lasts forever’, and we’re sad to report that this age-old maxim can be applied to Tom Hardy’s CBeebies Bedtime Stories.

His fifth and final tale will air this Saturday (26 August) at 6:50pm on National Dog Day, in tribute to his late dog Woodstock, aka Woody, who sadly died in June.

The episode was recorded before the death of his beloved Golden Labrador, who will be seen sitting alongside the actor while he reads Fleabag, a story by Helen Stephens, which tells the story of a friendship between a young boy and a small, scruffy dog. Hopefully there was no mixup in production, as Hardy reading the script of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s BBC comedy would not really be appropriate for the kids who will be tuning in.

In a teaser clip, CBeebies commented: "We'd like to thank Tom and his family again for allowing us to show this final story as a tribute to the memory of Woody."

Here’s a previous Tom Hardy story to get you in the mood:

When Woody, who was rescued as a stray by Hardy while he was in Atlanta filming Lawless, passed away, Hardy posted an emotional message on Tumblr which read:

"I don't normally speak out about family and friends, but this is an unusual circumstance. Woody affected so many people in his own right so with great respect to his autonomy and as a familiar friendly face to many of you, it is with great great sadness a heavy heart that I inform you that after a very hard and short six-month battle with an aggressive polymyostisis Woody passed away, two days ago. He was only age 6."

"He was far too young to leave us and we at home are devastated by his loss I am ultimately grateful for his loyal companionship and love and it is of some great comfort that he is no longer suffering. Above all I am completely gutted. the world for me was a better place with him in it and by my side. To the bestest friend ever. To me and to a family who loved him beyond words and whom he loved without doubt more than I have ever known. Woody was the bestest of journey companions we ever could dream of having. Our souls intertwined forever."